Living in a cold climate, I usually change out my battery every 4 years and sell the old one on KIJIJI while it still has some life in it and it's about that time.

Original Motorcraft is a 750CCA but the dealer also lists an 850CCA that apparently fits exactly on the same battery shelf for a few more $.

Anyone got the 850 and is there much difference? Was it worth the extra $$ ??

Truck has always started fine with a 750 even at -20 degrees. Would the 850 be cheap insurance or a waste of money i wonder?

 

I looked on the tascaparts website and the 850cca was just under $10 more than the 750, so I'd say it was worth it.

 

The more amps you have available when cold, the better off you are.

 

I never cheap out on a battery for my daily driver...I would go for the bigger one. I have a bias about battery companies and I only buy Interstate or Optima, I've been stranded by many others.

I agree with you swapping them out before they fail.

 

One thing I always consider with any battery is the length of warranty, and the number of places I can make use of that warranty.
Fact is all brands can fail, and none of them are as well made as we'd like, so chances are you can have a premature failure.

Some folks choose wal-mart batteries for this reason. Around me, NAPA is the most common place, so I usualy buy those for that reason. I have made use of the warranty and it took some of the sting out of having a failed battery.


That being said, if the price is anything close, I'd always go with the higher CCA rating. But here's a question I can't answer. How do they get more amperage? Thinking of this like an RV'er, I wonder if they use more, but thinner lead plates, in which case, is that battery actually more likely to fail? This is pure speculation on my part.

 

There are tradeoffs. If we're talking the same size case, then for a given CCA rating the larger cold cranking amp battery will have more/thinner plates, to provide for a bit more juice when starting.

But, higher CCA comes at the expense of reserve minutes, and they are also more easily damaged in rough service (Off Roading) ; if you want the "best" what you really want is the heaviest battery that will fit, with the longest warranty.

Unless you absolutely need the highest CCA, there are better choices in my opinion, particularly if heavy draw accessories are being used frequently.

 

The OE battery in my 09 was fine until last year, when it got below about 40 degrees, it wouldn't hardly crank.

I bought a new 65 series, wow what a difference.

Yes, the bigger battery is worth it.

 

Sounds like the OE battery had failed was the actual problem, not so much a size issue. It was 6 years old after all.

 

At least:he got 6 years. The original battery in mine lasted just 3 yrs. I replaced it with the original 750:cca Motorcraft batt and the replacement failed 1 1/2 weeks later!

 

Bigger is always better with batteries. I run an optima yellowtop rated at 750 CCA in my truck due to the electrical load I have with the winch.

 

OT: Fire240 - noticed that you have almost 130,000 posts here at FTE, an average of thirty four (34!) posts a day, every day, since 2005!

Man, I thought I was bad!

 

Also, look at investing in an AGM battery. They seem to last much longer than lead acid. I am converting all mine over to from lead acid, which is no cheap task, since my boat alone has 4 batteries. As they fail, I replace them with AGMs.

 

I think a lot of folks won't see an economic payout for using AGM batteries, even if they do last a little longer. I have heard they are better with applications with high vibration, although i don't know how much.

 

AGM require a slightly lower voltage set point and tighter tolerance for charging. Might be incompatible with the alternator and result in overcharging and shorter life.

 

Not with our battery management system. I've heard of AGMs lasting 8-9 years, which is double a "normal" lead-acid battery. They charge fine with the lead-acid chargers, but like a lower float. That's where the battery management system in our trucks should keep it happier than in a "regular" application.